Accessories

Hobbyist accessories

star chart: A very useful complement for any outing, of more or less variable need depending on the experience of the fan or if there is a scheduled itinerary.

Star charts can be obtained from astronomy software, from websites dedicated to highlighting specific phenomena, such as passages of comets or asteroids, or from a portable planisphere (also called a "planisphere").star wheel«), which contains the entire celestial vault, and only needs to be rotated to match a date and time during the year.

red lantern: It is the only suitable means of lighting during an astronomical observation, for purposes such as illuminating a map or notebook, since the red light prevents one from becoming dazzled and losing sensitivity to light in a dark sky, which does occur. , would require us to allow about 15 minutes for our eyes to get used to the darkness again.

A conventional flashlight lined with red cellophane can also be used.

green laser: It is a device the size of a pen, similar to common red light laser pointers, but with the difference that it sends a very powerful light beam, with an average range of 2 km. This allows the laser to be projected into the sky to locate and show the constellations. The luminosity and range depend on atmospheric conditions, but in general it is very useful for aiming celestial objects.